Posted By Bridgette Meinhold On February 21, 2011 @ 3:36 pm In Architecture,Green renovation,Solar Power,Sustainable Building | No Comments

File this under "poetic justice" - SunPower Corporation[1], a leading manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, roof tiles and solar panels[2], took over the Ford Assembly Building in Richmond, California, which dates back to 1931, and transformed it into their headquarters. Not only is the renovation by Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects[3] a stunning adaptive reuse project[4] -- it transforms a relic of the fossil fuel-powered automotive industry into a sustainable manufacturing facility for renewable energy tech. It doesn't get cooler than this - read on for a look inside!

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As you might expect from one of the leading manufacturers of photovoltaics[6] in the US, the roof of SunPower’s HQ is entirely coated in solar panels. The company’s goal for the facility was to combine aesthetics with function and sustainability. The interior matches these goals as well and features many environmentally-friendly materials. Marcy Wong Donn Logan used Plyboo bamboo[7] flooring and Bentley Prince Street “Urban Scene” eco carpets and also stained existing concrete floors.

A nearly 200,000 square-foot open floor plan inside the historic shell was transformed into a miniature city of departments, office space and ancillary areas[8]. The vast space was split up into “blocks” defined by a grid of “streets” and “alleys” that create boundaries for different work areas. Executive spaces and large conference areas are trimmed with bamboo. Large skylights from the original factory[9] remain, allowing light to stream into the open space below.